Big Oil has a long track record of using front groups to protect its interests and mislead Californians. But who would have guessed that a non-profit group created by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors would be one of them?
Courtesy of Gov. Jerry Brown and Senate pro Tem Kevin de Leon, California's top toxics regulator now has an independent review panel. It meets tomorrow for the first time. This panel is critically important to reform of the scandal-plagued Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). It's got one good shot at changing the department's culture--and that is what it is going to take to make this department worthy of its name.
In this week's meeting, from Nov. 16 - 20, the state's insurance department will be hearing a dispute over a rate increase by State Farm that Consumer Watchdog believes is unfair and overcharging customers by more than $200 million. In addition, the Public Utilities Commission was expected to decide if the Southern California Edison should be financially penalized over alleged improper communications tied to the San Onofre Nuclear power plant decommissioning.
Governor Jerry Brown makes himself out to be a Knight in Shining Armor battling Big Oil over climate change. So why is he using public funds to search for oil on his own private land?